Café Associate

About the role

Café Associate at Grace Farms, a cultural and humanitarian center in New Canaan, CT. You will work in the architecturally acclaimed River building, greet guests from around the corner and around the world, and serve fresh food and drinks while supporting events that inspire and bring people together. This is a part-time, hourly, non-exempt position reporting to the Director of Food & Beverage, up to 29 hours per week. Availability to work weekends and evening events is required. The role is on-site in New Canaan, CT, 5 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Stay informed about all events and offerings of Grace Farms Foundation and share this information accurately and enthusiastically with visitors to the Commons.
• Greet all customers with a consistently warm, friendly, personalized greeting and provide service to every guest and customer.
• Move quickly, but efficiently, accurately, and safely through each transaction to minimize wait time, and thank each customer for their order.
• Process each customer order through the Grace Farms Point of Sale and credit card transaction system.
• Follow all Grace Farms beverage recipes and procedures to prepare requested drink orders.
• Assist team with setup and cleanup after internal catered events.
• Follow all health & safety procedures when fulfilling guest pastry and food orders.
• Communicate and educate customers about menu items, retail items, and specials, including ingredient lists.
• Work to maintain a good customer experience and report any customer complaints to your supervisor.
• Assist the culinary team with getting food orders out to customers.
• Promote a safe and clean service environment by supporting Grace Farms sanitation and cleanliness standards.
• Communicate at a high level with the kitchen team to expedite customer orders.
• Help clear and wash dishes when needed.
• Maintain the Commons area clean throughout the shift, performing cleaning tasks such as sweeping, wiping down tables, pushing in chairs, collecting trays, and keeping the back counter area tidy.
• Practice proper food organization, labeling, and storage.
• Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills & Abilities

• Exceptionally friendly people-skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal communication skills with external guests and internal colleagues.
• Excellent team player who regularly assists colleagues with a cheerful disposition.
• Ability to maintain high energy throughout the day, and remain calm, friendly, and unflustered during high-volume periods of operations.
• Possess patience, empathy, and a generous, positive, can-do outlook.
• Able to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Flexible schedule that will include weekends and some evenings.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Customer service experience required; food/beverage service preferred.
• Working knowledge of a Point of Sale (POS) system.
• Physical requirements: requires long periods of standing and some lifting.
• Must have reliable transportation, as the location is not near public transportation.

Pay

$20 per hour.

About Grace Farms

Grace Farms is a cultural and humanitarian center in New Canaan, Connecticut, that brings people together across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building and Barns on 80 acres of publicly accessible natural landscape. Since opening in 2015, it has garnered numerous prestigious awards for contributions to architecture, environmental sustainability, and social good, and has become a destination for arts, culture, and community. Grace Farms has welcomed 1 million visitors from around the world to experience innovative programming in music, visual and performing arts, while fostering contemplation and connection through architecture and nature. Grace Farms' humanitarian work includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain and advancing initiatives to foster more grace and peace locally and globally. This commitment extends to Grace Farms Tea and Coffee, a certified B Corp that models ethical and sustainable sourcing while supporting Design for Freedom. The integration of cultural programming and humanitarian action reflects Grace Farms' collaborative approach to generating new outcomes and meaningful change.